Another example of the church that is "caught between" the Muslim world and the Israeli government, involves an interesting encounter we had with the Christian community in Hebron. We visited some Palestinian and American friends in Hebron, (we cannot give any details of their location, names, ministry, etc. because of the blogs publication on the internet). They are the ONLY Christian presence in an entirely Muslim community - and have spent fifty years earning the respect of the community for that privilege. World Vision was even run out of town just for having a little one-man office in Hebron. These Christians have been physically attacked. They have been legally attacked. They have been attacked spiritually. They have been shunned from the community. They have been persecuted unlike anything most Americans have ever dreamed.
Yet, they have a steadfastness from the Holy Spirit that provides them with the resolve to not give up on the work that they have been give to do “on their watch.” If they went then the ministry would go as well and it would never be able to be revived due to the situation there. Many times I heard them say “Not on my watch” when I asked about their tenacity. God has blessed them richly for their perseverance, but please pray for their ministry. Their greatest needs are for the ending of legal battles and for more personnel. They need workers for the ministry in Hebron and for the headquarters back in the states.
Hebron is not a city without problems. Under the newest regulations for the city, the town is divided between H1 and H2 and is a special condition area. This Palestinian town in the West Bank is also now home to about 500 or so Jewish settlers. There have been deadly attacks on both Jews and Arabs by Arabs and Jews, and there is a tension in the air there. The city of Hebron is the location of the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc.) and is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. At one point it was all a mosque, but throughout the years, part of it has been made into a synagogue. The Israeli settlers (so called because they are settling inside the West Bank occupied territory) live above the Palestinian's market place in the center of the town. The settlers believe that the Arabs should leave Hebron completely as God has given them the land by divine ordinance. However, the resilience of the Palestinian people there is amazing, especially since they have put up protective netting above the city market place to protect themselves from the constant rock and dirt throwing, water pouring (even urine pouring) of the some settlers above them. A few of our friends from various western countries have had dirt dumped on them while they were walking through the Hebron market.
There are many soldiers in Hebron to protect the settlers that live there, and they are victims as well – by their own words. In testimonies recorded by ICAHD called “Breaking the Silence” (Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions http://www.icahd.org/eng/), many soldiers have told about the constant abuse towards Palestinians in Hebron. The soldiers are then forced to deal with the mental instability produced from reflection on their actions on duty. It is common for many soldiers to take a year off from their army service and go to India or somewhere in the east and become involved in the drug culture there. There is also a high rate of suicide among the soldiers. We should remember these Israeli soldiers, as well as all others involved (settlers, Palestinians, and the children of both sides), as we pray for peace in Palestine and Israel.
From the rooftop of one Arab home, a person can get a small glimpse of the complications of the city. While on this rooftop there was an Israeli soldier in a bunker on the roof of a settler house about 20 feet away. The street below us was to be used only for the settlers, although both sides of the street, blocked by high fences are owned by Palestinians. The only way to get from one side of the small road to the other (for a Palestinian) involved a 3km walk. The market center was virtually a ghost town as many of the people there were unable to keep their shops open enough to make any income. Furthermore, the curfew for Palestinians there was almost always in effect and the Palestinians might be told to close the shops at anytime of the day for any length of time. There was an eerie feeling of aloneness and desperation among the people there.
Despite this terrible situation, God is not absent. He has allowed the church to continue in Hebron. We have come to encourage these Christians and remind them that they are not alone. We pray for them, and we will tell others about their work.
Yet, they have a steadfastness from the Holy Spirit that provides them with the resolve to not give up on the work that they have been give to do “on their watch.” If they went then the ministry would go as well and it would never be able to be revived due to the situation there. Many times I heard them say “Not on my watch” when I asked about their tenacity. God has blessed them richly for their perseverance, but please pray for their ministry. Their greatest needs are for the ending of legal battles and for more personnel. They need workers for the ministry in Hebron and for the headquarters back in the states.
Hebron is not a city without problems. Under the newest regulations for the city, the town is divided between H1 and H2 and is a special condition area. This Palestinian town in the West Bank is also now home to about 500 or so Jewish settlers. There have been deadly attacks on both Jews and Arabs by Arabs and Jews, and there is a tension in the air there. The city of Hebron is the location of the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, etc.) and is sacred to both Jews and Muslims. At one point it was all a mosque, but throughout the years, part of it has been made into a synagogue. The Israeli settlers (so called because they are settling inside the West Bank occupied territory) live above the Palestinian's market place in the center of the town. The settlers believe that the Arabs should leave Hebron completely as God has given them the land by divine ordinance. However, the resilience of the Palestinian people there is amazing, especially since they have put up protective netting above the city market place to protect themselves from the constant rock and dirt throwing, water pouring (even urine pouring) of the some settlers above them. A few of our friends from various western countries have had dirt dumped on them while they were walking through the Hebron market.
There are many soldiers in Hebron to protect the settlers that live there, and they are victims as well – by their own words. In testimonies recorded by ICAHD called “Breaking the Silence” (Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions http://www.icahd.org/eng/), many soldiers have told about the constant abuse towards Palestinians in Hebron. The soldiers are then forced to deal with the mental instability produced from reflection on their actions on duty. It is common for many soldiers to take a year off from their army service and go to India or somewhere in the east and become involved in the drug culture there. There is also a high rate of suicide among the soldiers. We should remember these Israeli soldiers, as well as all others involved (settlers, Palestinians, and the children of both sides), as we pray for peace in Palestine and Israel.
From the rooftop of one Arab home, a person can get a small glimpse of the complications of the city. While on this rooftop there was an Israeli soldier in a bunker on the roof of a settler house about 20 feet away. The street below us was to be used only for the settlers, although both sides of the street, blocked by high fences are owned by Palestinians. The only way to get from one side of the small road to the other (for a Palestinian) involved a 3km walk. The market center was virtually a ghost town as many of the people there were unable to keep their shops open enough to make any income. Furthermore, the curfew for Palestinians there was almost always in effect and the Palestinians might be told to close the shops at anytime of the day for any length of time. There was an eerie feeling of aloneness and desperation among the people there.
Despite this terrible situation, God is not absent. He has allowed the church to continue in Hebron. We have come to encourage these Christians and remind them that they are not alone. We pray for them, and we will tell others about their work.
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